Two Officers, Ten Hours
by HotChilliGriffin
Summary: The fic that brought you "Hammersley Strip Tease", "Red-eyed Sex Hair Mikey", and "Fully-Nakey Bridge-Mikey", not to mention more KISHAM and MISHAK than you will ever find in a single fic. Serious HAM warning. Read at own risk. M-rated for the awesome.


**Two Officers, Ten Hours**

Rain came down in sheets, drenching anyone or anything that ventured out into the furious storm. HMAS Hammersley was, to the relief of her crew, docked safely in Cairns harbour. The only two people remaining on board were the two highest ranking officers, on watch in the bridge – and their minds weren't on the storm.

"Sure this is a good idea?" Kate asked, hands wrapped firmly around a mug of steaming coffee.

"Excuse me?" Mike snorted. "It was _your_ idea."

"Doesn't mean I think it's a good one."

"Well, we needed to do something."

She sighed. "I know. This is it, then."

Her hands remained clenched tightly around her coffee mug. He suddenly wished he had one, too – just something to occupy his hands.

A few minutes ticked by. Mike suddenly realised her eyes were fixed firmly on him, and he smirked. Her nostrils flared.

"What?" he asked.

"That!" she growled. "Stop that!"

It took him a moment to realise what she was talking about. Unconsciously, he had been running his nervous fingers through his hair, and he recalled how much she loved the "sex hair" look. He deliberated briefly, and decided not to flatten it. She had reaffixed her gaze to the radar screen.

"We're in _port_. I doubt anything interesting will turn up on radar," he pointed out.

"I see rain," she replied sharply. "Lots... and lots... of rain."

He chuckled. "So do I. And that's not on radar."

To take her mind off him, she took a large gulp of coffee, and flinched as the burning liquid hit her tongue and throat. He glanced at her questioningly.

"You okay?"

"It's coffee. I don't think you need to worry yourself."

"Maybe you should slow down."

"Maybe you should –" Setting her jaw, she stopped herself before she could say something insulting.

He smirked, and she squeezed her eyes shut. "Don't do _that_, either."

"Why not?" he asked cheekily.

"It's _cheating_," she growled.

"Ten hours. On watch together. First to cross the line loses," he listed. "Nothing in there says I'm not allowed to talk... or smile... or mess with my hair..."

Her eyes fell to the pieces of masking tape stuck to the floor of the bridge, cutting a neat line through the centre. "This definitely wasn't a good idea."

"Sounds like someone doesn't think she'll last ten hours," he taunted.

"I managed, somehow, to explain to Nav what we're doing, so we could have the whole night. I don't think staying in this half of the bridge is going to be a challenge."

"I was wondering how you did that." He hesitated. "You didn't _tell_ her?"

"I might have."

"I can imagine that." He quickly tried to imitate her voice. "Nikki, slight problem. I have this overwhelming urge to _jump_ my boss..."

She muttered something under her breath, and he raised an eyebrow. "What was that?" When she didn't say anything else, just stared coolly at the window of the bridge, he smirked and continued. "When we finally talked about it and realised –"

"Admitted," she corrected.

"When we finally _admitted_ our inability to work together, I came up with this _great_ idea. If we can last ten hours, at night, alone, with nothing to do, without crossing that line... then we will be _over_ each other, and there isn't a problem."

"This just became quite a bit harder," she said, staring at him.

He blinked. "What?"

"You don't even _want_ to win!"

"I want to win," he corrected. "Whoever crosses that line gets a transfer. And I don't want to leave my ship."

"Ah, of course. You don't want _me_ to win." He smirked, and she spun on her heel, retreating to the furthest corner of the bridge. "I thought we were trying to prove we could work together."

"Are you finding it hard, Kate? I'm not."

She looked over at him. He was resting casually on the desk, his eyes glittering with amusement... and lust.

"Sure?" she said mockingly. Taking a few steps closer, she made sure to stop well short of the line. He raised an eyebrow, and gazed steadily at her. Her breath caught, and she forcefully turned away.

Several minutes passed in unsteady silence.

"How long's it been?" she asked.

"Half an hour."

"Right. A... twentieth. Of the way there."

Mike grinned. "You haven't got a chance."

***

The sat phone rang, and Mike almost jumped over himself in his rush to get it. He flicked it on to speaker, and Nav's voice came through.

"One hour gone. How's it going?"

"We have divided the bridge into two very clear halves."

"And?"

"And we're each still in our own half."

"Well, that's good. Just nine hours to go."

"One small problem," Kate called. "I found out that he doesn't actually _want_ us to succeed."

"Ah, I see. Well, that should put you at an advantage."

Kate frowned. She hadn't thought of that. Mike was acting under the impression that he was irresistible – so long as she kept herself in control, then _she_ would win. One way or another, he wasn't going to last the night without touching her... and if she wouldn't submit, he would have to.

"You going to be checking up on us every hour?" Mike asked.

There was the sound of Nav chuckling. "Nope. Some of us are going to bed. So, you two... don't have fun."

"Why thank you," Kate replied dryly. "We'll try not to."

"Uh huh. And if you could stay off my desk, that would be much appreciated."

With that, the navigator hung up, leaving Kate snickering to herself and Mike looking almost longingly at the desk.

"How about... we play 'I spy'?" he suggested. "To pass the time."

She grimaced. No doubt this was a very devilish plot to mess with her resistance...

"Okay. I'll go first. I spy, with my little eye... something beginning with 'R'."

"Radar?" She shook her head. "Rain. Radio. Robot."

"Robot?" she repeated incredulously. "It has to be something we can _see_. I don't see any robots."

He rolled his eyes, looking around the bridge. "Alright... what colour is it?"

"Several colours."

Hesitating only for a moment, he asked, "What size is it?"

"Varying sizes."

He sighed. "How many are there?"

"A few."

"I give up. I'm never playing with you again."

She stared at him. "How old are you?"

"I gave up," he whined. "Tell me." Raising an eyebrow, she didn't say anything. "X... tell me."

"That's _cheating_, Sir. If you want to know, you have to play. It was your idea."

"Alright. Fine. Inside or outside the bridge?"

"Outside."

"Wait, how can it be _outside_? You have to be able to see it!"

"I can. And so could you, if you looked."

He moved towards the front of the bridge, looked out into the storm.

"I already said rain, right?" She nodded. "Uh... RHIB?"

"You can't see the RHIBs from here. Try again."

Staring out into the night, he tried to make out something other than raindrops on the window. Around them were other boats. To their left, on the dock... he groaned. A boatshed, with its main door open.

"Rowboats."

"Congratulations. Your turn."

She watched, a smile playing on her face as he struggled to find something hard.

"Alright. I spy... something beginning with 'SEO'."

She stared at him for a moment, thinking. Her own sense of pride wouldn't allow her to tell him to choose a single-word object...

"Oh really," she said suddenly, glaring at him. "How mature."

"What? You give up?"

"Stubborn Executive Officer." The grin fell from his face. "I'm right, aren't I?"

He growled something that sounded suspiciously like, "always right".

***

"How long?"

Sighing, Mike glanced at his watch. "Eight hours to go."

"Do night watches always take this long?"

"Stop worrying. We're a fifth of the way there. Much longer than I thought you'd last."

"See, doing your best to _make_ this fail... not a good idea."

"No?" He raised an eyebrow. When she didn't say anything else, he made a show of stretching... his hands almost touching the ceiling. The camouflaged shirt lifted, giving her a clear view of the muscles in his sides. He glanced over at her, and smirked. A view that she was very clearly enjoying.

"I don't think you realise how much I like having steady occupation," she muttered. Facing her, he slowly undid the top button... then the second...

"Why fight this, Kate? We both want it. Always have, and it just... we've waited so long." A pleading note entered his voice, and he quickly moved on. "If you came over here... then you could get a transfer to a frigate... three years ago all you wanted was a frigate."

"And three years ago, I didn't want you. Things change."

He studied her for a moment, before popping open another button. "Yes, you did." She swallowed at the sight of his chest, as the last button was undone and the fabric fell away. "Come on... Tell me, Kate... what's so bad about feeling good?"

She looked away, and for a moment he thought he had pushed it too far. Then she glanced back at him, puzzled. "Where do I know that from? What you said..."

"I made it up," he stated, and she narrowed her eyes.

"No, you didn't... It's a song."

He grinned, and this time sang the line. "Tell me, what's so bad... about feeling good?"

Taking a deep breath, she tried to stay composed. "I forgot that you could sing."

It certainly made for an odd image. The captain of the ship, standing in the bridge with his shirt undone, eyes dark with desire... and singing.

"No guilt," he whispered softly. "_All_ pleasure..."

She blinked.

"All pleasure, Kate," he repeated, his voice still lilting. His voice dropped an octave, and she shivered. "We could share a moment in time..."

"Shut _up_," she growled.

"You're looking so composed..."

Realising she was bare inches from the line, she tore herself away from his gaze, and stepped over to the console. A second later, the bridge was filled with darkness.

"Kate!" he half-shouted. Blinking rapidly, he tried to make his eyes adjust to the darkness – but it was pitch black. The lights from the dock couldn't breach the rain, and she had switched off every light inside and outside the bridge. "Kate, now _that's_ cheating!"

There was no answer. He growled to himself, and abandoned pride. "Please, Kate? Turn the lights back on?"

Still nothing. "Are you there?"

She had to be there. If she'd left the bridge... well, the rules of their challenge said they were allowed to, for bathroom and caffeine-restocking breaks. But what was she _doing_?

"Kate... I'm sorry. Please?"

Wow. There was just one flaw in this plan. The console that controlled the ship lights was on _her_ side. Was it losing if he went over to turn them on?

The silence was unnerving. He had no idea whether she was still there. He didn't think she would have left... but then, what was she doing? Lurking in the darkness... for what reason?

He took a cautious step towards the line. Or, towards where he thought it was.

"Tell me what's so bad," he sang softly, "About turning on the freaking light?!"

Her snort of laughter gave her away. Mike grinned to himself. She continued to giggle, knowing she'd been caught out.

"What _were_ you doing?"

A second later, he winced as the red night lights turned on above them. Looking towards the console, he saw her, and struggled to breathe. The red lights reflected on her blonde hair was both inviting and eerie. The strip down the centre of the bridge was now reflecting the pale red, and... he paled. It was right underneath his feet.

"Definitely cheating," he murmured, as she took a few steps towards him. Her eyes were wide as she studied his form. Not only was his hair tousled and just _begging_ for her to run her hands through it... it was accented by red streaks.

"Interesting effect," she said, stopping right on her side of the line. His eyes were almost black in the near-darkness, but his pupils were reflecting the burning red from above, giving his stare much more intensity than he could have realised.

For a few minutes, they stood like that. Barely centimetres apart, but each still in their half. He slowly lifted one hand and touched her cheek. She stared at him, and he smirked, the red light sinking into his face.

"Whoever steps across first... loses," he reminded her. Her breath caught, as she understood. Here was something they hadn't taken into account.

"Maybe we should... amend that rule."

"Or... maybe we shouldn't. Because we need to know... what it is we're resisting."

His palm cupped her chin, lifting her head up. She was powerless to resist as he brought her head up to meet his. When she felt the warm puff of his breath on her lips, there was no other choice but to open her mouth and search for his. Carefully, she lifted her hands to grip the open sides of his shirt, attempting to tug him closer – over the line. Taking a breath, she saw a flash of smouldering red eyes, and then his teeth slid over her lips and she forgot all about the thin line between their feet.

Until he took a single step backwards. He slowly pulled his head away, tempting her to follow, to step after him.

With a half-groan, half-shriek of frustration, she let him go. He raised an eyebrow.

"SEO."

***

"Don't we have some paperwork we could do?"

Mike stared blearily at her. The first five hours were gone. Tiredness was beginning to seep into both of them.

"Honestly?"

She glanced at the door. "Could get fresh coffee, too."

He groaned softly. "Coffee, yes. Paperwork, no."

Yawning, she shrugged. "Feels like we should be doing something. Something _work-related_."

"Sorting out who gets to stay on this ship sounds work-related."

Kate glared at him. "You could at least _hope_ that we're able to hold off for another... five hours."

"You honestly think we can?"

"After three years? Should be doable."

"Eight years," he corrected softly. "Eight _years_, Kate. I don't want to wait any longer."

Her eyes glinted. "Then don't wait. Come and get it."

"Make me," he challenged, and she only took it up in order to keep herself awake.

Carefully, she reached behind her and pulled the band out of her hair, so that it fell down around her neck. She tilted her head to one side, letting the red light play on the blonde strands.

He smirked, and shook his head. "Not working. Try harder."

She considered. Somehow, she had to seduce him from the other side of the room. She had to make him come to her.

He sat up a little bit straighter when her fingers reached for the buttons on her shirt. Calmly, she undid each button, then let the shirt fall away to reveal... the grey shirt underneath.

But he couldn't deny that was a decent view on its own. It was tight, almost too tight, and she smirked at him as she yawned wide, stretching her arms up above her head... revealing a generous strip of bare flesh.

"I'm stronger than that, Kate."

Her eyes flashed. "Who says I'm done?" she asked, her voice so low she was... almost.. purring? No. Kate didn't purr. He swallowed.

"So... will you continue with the shirt... or the pants?"

"Which would you rather?"

He forced himself to remain sitting down. If he stood up, moved towards her... he wasn't sure he'd be able to stop himself. An idea slowly made its presence known in a corner of his mind.

"Hammersley strip tease," he drawled, shrugging his semi-buttoned shirt off completely. "Nice."

Pants, she decided, struggling not to imagine how it would feel to run her hands over that chest...

His eyes widened considerably as she used one hand to draw the pants down. The first glimpse of white cotton panties, and he found it very hard to breathe. In order to distract himself from the stretch of thigh, gleaming red in the bridge lights, he reached for the waistband of his own pants. He saw her bite her top lip... nervously, he wondered? No doubt she would be wondering _what_ he was wearing under the green patterned pants...

"Maybe nothing?" he suggested softly, and she blushed crimson; whether at the image, or at him reading her thoughts, he couldn't tell. Her gaze was riveted to the slow motion of his hand as he hooked one thumb under the elastic, and slid them down to reveal...

She groaned softly at the sight of black boxers. Relief or disappointment?

"Your turn," he said, amusement clearly obvious. "How far will you go?"

"How far will you?" she replied archly. "I have more items of clothing than you do."

"Just as well you started first, then."

There was silence, and both were only dimly aware of the rain battering the windows and roof around them. Then she, oh so carefully, began pulling her shirt up and over her head.

For a few moments, he had to squeeze his eyes shut. Feeling her stare boring into his bare chest, he opened them again, and let his eyes explore the new sight. Frustration hit him as he realised it wasn't enough – he wanted to _touch_ her, to have his hands on her stomach and sides and be right up close when _he_ undid her bra...

He stood up, watching her hands reach behind her back... if she was going to win this, if she had finally got to him... well, he wanted that last honour for himself.

The gleam of triumph in her eyes as he stepped forward stopped him. But he didn't _want_ her to win!

"You want it?" she growled.

Okay. Time to take control again. Gritting his teeth, he beat her to the removal – in one harsh motion, he had ripped off his boxers, and stood facing her. Despite the distance between them and the lack of strong lighting, the strength of his desire was immediately obvious.

She had frozen. Her chest no longer quivered with excited breaths, and her hands were still.

"Come here," he ordered, and her mouth fell open a centimetre. He could see her strength failing... and failing fast. "Kate," he breathed, and her staring eyes met his. "Come here."

She stepped forward.

With absolutely no doubt as to what his words could do to her, he encouraged her the last step to the line.

"Come to me."

It was like a dream. Watching Kate, the most beautiful woman he had ever met, the woman he had desired for so long... to see her stepping through the blood red lighting towards him...

The phone rang, breaking the spell. Kate jerked suddenly, halting a hair's breadth from the masking tape line, shaking her head rapidly.

Mike groaned aloud, turning away to answer the phone. He didn't even have the energy to say anything; just set it onto speaker, pulled his pants back on, and sat down.

"Morning," Nav called cheerily. "You both still dressed?"

"Weren't you going to _bed_?" Mike muttered, glaring at the phone.

"Well, I was. But couldn't sleep. And was curious as to how it's going. You both still dressed?"

Kate choked as she moved away from the line. What had just happened? As soon as Mike had... well, her mind had floated away.

"Please tell me you're both still dressed."

"Define dressed," Mike sighed.

There was a second of uncomfortable silence. "Who won?" Nav asked.

"I was _about_ to," he snapped. "But no. We're both on our sides of the line."

"But naked?"

"Well... yes."

"O...kay, then. Good thing I interrupted."

"Whose side are you on?" Mike growled.

From the slight note of humour in Nav's voice, he guessed she wasn't on his.

"I'm on the side that doesn't actually want to see either of you get transferred."

"Okay. Well, I don't think that side has much of a chance. We've got a little over four hours left."

"Well, good luck with that. But get dressed. I'm pretty sure all the guys are too drunk to be planning on coming back, but you never know."

Instead of saying anything else, Mike hung up.

"Not _fair_," he sighed, looking over at Kate, realising she hadn't said anything during the entire phone conversation. "Face it, Kate. You'll never last another four hours. May as well give in now... while we've still got time for some fun."

"Shut up," she said tiredly. "I think I just joined Nav's side."

***

Discarded coffee mugs lay in various positions over the bridge. But even caffeine had reached its breaking point. They each lay half-conscious in a chair, struggling to stay awake.

"How long?" he croaked, lifting his head wearily to try and see the face of his watch.

"Two hours," she grunted in reply. She watched, uncaring, as he stood and took a short walk around the perimeter of his half. He paused in front of one of the signs on the wall, and she struggled to read it from her current position.

"These are just asking for someone to make fun of them," he muttered. His head suddenly lifted, and he looked at her wickedly.

She braced herself. The next round was about to begin. Both of them were standing on the edge, and it wouldn't take much to make them submit.

"You said you wanted something work related to do?" he asked, and she nodded cautiously. "How about a quick boarding?" he suggested with a smirk, and she groaned.

"You're down to innuendo. Pathetic."

"Admit it, Kate. You want to board this ship."

He leered, and she giggled. "Don't think I can't see you... _standing at attention._"

Raising an eyebrow, he took a half step closer. "While I'm at attention, how about a quick insertion?"

"Quick?" she snorted. "What, you've got someplace to be?"

"Ooh, nasty X... that might call for some disciplinary action." It was almost as if they were drunk, and in a way, they were – off caffeine and exhaustion, though, rather than alcohol. "Maybe some push ups?"

"I think I might disobey that order," she replied, crossing her arms.

"Insubordination," he tsked. "Now... how to make you heave to?"

Kate suddenly exploded into a torrent of giggles. "If that's all you've got left..."

"You have to listen to your captain, X."

"This is what the 2IC does," she pointed out. "Argues with you."

"Hmm... there's only one captain's chair. But I think I can share."

"Sure. Feel free. Seeing as it's on _my_ side."

She couldn't hide her pleasure at the sound of his groan, as she flopped into the chair to prove her point.

***

"One hour."

She nodded vaguely, hearing his words, knowing it meant something good... but barely able to comprehend it. There was total silence in the bridge. The rain had finally stopped.

"Last battle?" she asked, and his head jerked up and down.

"Okay. Too tired to play games. Kate. I want to _fuck_ you. Really fucking hard."

Her head flopped back against the nearby wall, and she smiled at him. "Tomorrow? I'm tired."

"So am I. But in an hour, we'll have proved..."

"What? That we're both way too stubborn?"

"That we're mature enough to resist temptation and keep _on-shore activities_ out of our work."

She snickered. "Fair enough."

She shifted position, her head falling onto her arm. As her eyes flickered shut, she could have sworn she heard him whisper 'I love you'.

***

Nav cautiously climbed the steps to the bridge, unsure of what she would find. Dawn was breaking outside, the storm having blown itself out sometime while she was sleeping. She braced herself for the worst, though she didn't quite know what that would be.

Once in the bridge, she sighed. Two officers. Each in their half. Both asleep.

She went to Mike first, touching him cautiously on the shoulder. "Morning Sir. You do realise part of the ten-hour watch challenge... was to stay on _watch_."

He groaned, and looked blearily up at her. "S. E. O."

Nav glanced across at Kate. "Stubborn Executive Officer?" she guessed, and he nodded. Before she could say anything else, he had pushed himself up, and staggered across the room, to Kate. As he finally crossed the annoying white line, there was a sense of liberation, and as he lifted the sleeping figure into his arms he was almost glad they had managed the ten hours. Almost.

"SEO needs sleep," Kate mumbled. Her top half supported by his, they stumbled towards the stairs. Before descending, Mike looked back at Nav for a moment.

"Shi... Shi... Ship."

She smiled to herself as the door slammed. "Yes, sir. I have the ship."


End file.
